


Dangerous

by allthemagicthings



Category: The Politician (TV 2019)
Genre: Canon Compliant, I have way too many emotions and so do these boys, M/M, canon typical saying shit no irl person would just say like that, communictaion, look it's almost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 20:07:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20895374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthemagicthings/pseuds/allthemagicthings
Summary: Somewhere between their first kiss and their threesome with Astrid, Payton asks River why he's doing this.





	Dangerous

**Author's Note:**

> I was supposed to write other things, but feelings for this show just overwhelmed me and made me rewatch the whole thing. I still wasn't satisfied and I noticed there wasn't a lot of fic so. . . here I am trying to silence this craving with a tiny lil baby fic. It's kind of fun writing new characters I've only known for a couple of days and writing fic for something I haven't even read fic about yet, but it's also pretty scary so feel free to lift my spirits about this with a comment! They honestly make my day.

Payton had wanted to wait for the right moment, before speaking up about it. Even if that moment turned out to be the last possible one, right at the end of the hour the other boy had reserved for tutoring him, he knew it had to be today. Or maybe the way River was looking at him told him that if Payton didn't speak up about it now, _he _would, and Payton was _not _ready to give him the upper hand, _again. _ "River. . . you need to explain this to me." 

  
  


"I don't think I know what you're talking about." River smiled his big beautiful, goddamn stupid smile and if Payton didn't love it so much he would have lost his temper a long time ago. For some reason, River managed to always keep him weirdly calm and nervous at the same time. He still wasn't quite able to put his finger on how he did it. Maybe he actually had superpowers, matching his looks.

  
  


"This- whatever this is! Look, I still don't even have an idea why you agreed on tutoring me, it's not like you need the money-" He had already gotten up, moving around to try and visualise his confusion, since his words didn't work as well when he was around River. "And then you kiss me? And make me. . . feel all these things? That's not who I am, River, I don't feel things I-"

  
  


"Because I like you." 

  
  


And just like that, he'd done it again. Somehow this impossible, emotional, bright, beautiful boy had managed to surprise Payton. Silence him. 

  
  


"I agreed on tutoring you, because I like you. I wanted to get closer to you, and for some reason you always ran from me." It was ridiculous. River was being ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous and unpredictable, as usual and there was nothing in the world that scared Payton Hobart more than something he couldn't predict. Well, maybe his own feelings, but since Payton wasn't able to guard those from River either, he couldn't count them as a win.

  
  


"You're lying." No one at their school _liked_ him. People admired him, believed in him, loved him, maybe, in their own strange ways. He had his friend's loyalty he had some of his classmates siding with him, but no one wanting to spend time with him just to get _closer_ to him. That wasn't necessary, Payton sought everyone out himself, to get their opinions, their views, their votes. "I have given you no reason to like me. You always were with Astrid, that's how I knew I didn't even have to try." Payton had been so sure that he didn't even stand the slightest chance.

  
  


"Have you considered that you don't always have to try?" River's hand was on his shoulder now, warm and steady, as it always was and Payton could feel his whole body relax. He hadn't even been aware of the tension trapped behind his skin, he never was, until River touched him and the weight lifted.

  
  


_This boy has too much power over you. He isn't part of the plan. I have to follow the plan. _

  
  


"Is this some kind of joke?" River didn't even dignify that question with an answer, even though part of Payton wanted him to say yes, that all of this was just some dumb scheme he and Astrid had made up, so he could just go back to following his plan. Not that River had made him doubt it, nothing ever could make him doubt the plan. It was perfect. River had just gotten closer to making him doubt it than anyone else ever had, which was dangerous enough. "Astrid invited me, you know? To join you two." His feet were nervously tapping against the ground. 

  
  


"I know." The hand moved up to his cheek and Payton wasn't sure if he wanted to run away or stay like this forever. "Total transparency, remember?" 

  
  


He wasn't allowed, River was not allowed to touch him this tenderly, to cup his face and stare so deeply into his soul while talking about how amazing his relationship with Payton's arch nemesis was. What kind of person even did that. 

  
  


"Just tell me why." Payton's lip was quivering and he knew River could see. He smiled this one specific smile reserved for the rare moments in which Payton lost control. Well, not to rare exactly, not when River was around, at least. "Why me?"

  
  


"Because I know that there is so much more behind this facade you put on." Payton could feel the other boy's breath, hot against his skin. River had never cared about the walls Payton put up, crashing right through them as if they had never existed. "Because even though most people don't get it and think you're a fake, I can feel how honest and passionate you are. I can feel that, because around you, I feel less alone. Only true connection can achieve that." 

  
  


A thumb was brushing over Payton's lip, sending a shudder through his entire body. "And maybe- just a tiny little bit because I think you are gorgeous." River was laughing and Payton could feel it, not just in the vibrations against his skin, but in his heart and soul. "Join us. Join me. Please?"

  
  


Payton wasn't able to think and make the right decision, River's lips were on the cleft of his chin, moving up so he could nibble on his earlobe, rendering Payton too busy nodding to use that brain of his. "Fine," he said, "Yes:"

  
  


How did River dare smile so softly against his skin?

  
  


How did he dare kiss him as if it was nothing, but the natural thing to do?

  
  


How did he dare make Payton risk everything, everything he had worked so hard to get?

  
  


"I can't wait," he whispered into his ear. "I gotta go now, but. . ."River squeezed Payton's thigh, making him jump "I'll see you later."

  
  


Minutes after he left, Payton was still standing in the same spot, the same position even. 

  
  


_He has the power to crack me open and make everything spill out. He makes me want him to ruin it all. He's dangerous. I can't do this. I can't possibly be doing this. _

  
  


But he was already in too deep. River already had him drowning in a pool of new and unwanted emotions, his own tears and endless blue eyes. 

  
  


There was no getting out of this anymore.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I have the same username for basically anything so find me on tumblr as [allthemagicthings](https://allthemagicthings.tumblr.com/) and on twitter as [allthemagithgs](https://twitter.com/allthemagicthgs)
> 
> twitter is also the place on which i yell about how much I adore Ben Platt so go figure.


End file.
